"In the summer of 1995 George Crosby provided the following portion of his work which gave us information the ancestors of Captain Freeman Crosby back to The Reverend Thomas Crosby shown below."

Reverend Thomas Crosby was baptized at Holme on February 26, 1635, named after his grandfather. He was brought to New England by his parents on 2 October 1635 (8 months old).

He graduated from Harvard College in 1653. Although never ordained, he was hired in 1655 to preach in the church at Eastham, MA and continued as minister succeeding Reverend John Mayo there until 1670 at a salary of 50 pounds per annum. Reverend Crosby was also engaged in trade and in 1664 was among those who kept for sale "liquor, powder and shot".

In about 1662 he married Sarah Fitch.

Their children born in Eastham, MA were:

1. Thomas born April 7, 1663, died May 21, 1731.
2. Simon born July 5, 1665, died 1718
3. Sarah born March 24, 1666-7, married Silas Sears
4. Joseph born January 27,1668-9, died May 30, 1725.
5-6. JOHN (3) born December 4, 1670 and died May 25, 1717
and twin who died February 11, 1670/1
7. William born March 1672-3
8. Ebenezer born March 28, 1675
9-11. Anne, Mercy and Increase born April 14, 1678
(Anne married William (2) Luce, (Henry 1) on July 5,1704)
12. Eleazer born March 31, 1680

Later he became a merchant at Harwich, MA and was one of the founders of the church in that town. On a business trip to Boston he was found dead in bed there on the 13th or 27th of June 1702, age 67 years. He is buried in the Old Granary Cemetery in Boston, MA. After his death, his widow Sarah married John (2) Miller of Yarmouth on April 8, 1703, son of Reverend John and Lydia Miller.

Note: Thomas' great grandson was Enoch Crosby, born 1749, alias Harvey Birch, hero in James Fenimore Cooper's book The Spy.

Note: Thomas' son, Thomas, was a deacon in the First Parish Church in Harwich on March 25, 1717. He married Hannah _________ who died January 8, 1728/9.

Note: Massachusetts, The American Guide Series, Houghton Mifflin 1937, states on page 503 that the Prince Hurd House, now privately owned, located on Samoset Road, Eastham was built about 1750 and was formerly known as Tom Crosby's Tavern. Twenty-three men from the British frigate Spencer were taken prisoner there during the War of 1812. This is not the Thomas Crosby referred to in this section since he died in 1702 although it may have been one of his grandchildren not in our direct line.

Thomas Crosby, B.A., of Eastham and of Harwich, Massachusetts, oldest son of Simon and Ann Crosby, was born in England. In 1635, when eight weeks old, we was taken on board the "Suzan and Ellin" by his father, who came to Massachusetts and settled in Cambridge on what was afterward known as the Brattle estate, part of which is now occupied by the University Press. ... In 1655 the Reverend John Mayo, of Eastham, having been called to settle over the Second Church in Boston, Crosby succeeded him, being "employed to conduct public service on Lord's days'; to whom was promised a salary of L50 per annum." He continued his ministerial labors til 1670 without being ordained. Subsequently he became a merchant in Harwich. He was found dead in bed at Boston, 27 June, 1701.

By his wife, Sarah, he had twins and triplets, besides seven other children.

Works. The Work of a Christian, An Important Case of Practical Religion: Or, Directions, How to Make Religion One's Business. "Found in the Hand-writing of the truly religious Mr. Thomas Crosby, Educated at Harvard College in Cambridge, Sometime a Preacher of God's Word, and afterward a Merchant in Harwich in N.E. Who Died Suddently at Boston, June 27, 1702. Accompanied with another discourse on Preparation of Sudden Death; which also bears this Company in the present Publication. Boston. 1736 sm. 12 mos. pp. 34. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Emigrated 8 weeks old , grauated from Harvard in 1653, had 12 children and Alonzo Crosby's records show that his brother Simon married a Rachel Bracket; despite the difference in spelling, it may be that the brothers married sisters.

Thomas 7 Crosby, was born at Holme-on-Spaulding, was brought to Boston in 1635, and in1655 he was engaged by the church in Eastham, Mass. to conduct public services on the Lords Day.

I now quote from A CROSBY FAMILY LINE compiled by Emerson Crosby

Kelly "He was a 'religious teacher,' not a pastor; this difference carries a nice distinction. He filled the position for fifteen years, altough he never was ordained as a minister. Subsequently he became a merchant in Harwich. Mass, and wrote several religious books."